Burnley 2-2 West Brom: Ideye Nicks It for Baggies

Second-half substitute Brown Ideye salvaged a point for West Bromwich Albion in a 2-2 draw with fellow Premier League strugglers Burnley.

The Nigeria international came on for defender Chris Baird at half-time and needed 22 minutes to draw the Baggies level after headers from Ashley Barney and Danny Ings opened up a 2-0 lead for the Clarets.

Chris Brunt handed Tony Pulis’ side a lifeline at the break, heading home from a corner, before Ideye earned them a point.

Brown Ideye Celebrates His Third Goal Since Joining west Bromwich Albion. Image: Getty.
Brown Ideye Celebrates His Third Goal Since Joining west Bromwich Albion. Image: Getty.

The forward, who had reportedly came close to a move to Qatar in the transfer window, lost his marker and thumped in a wonderful glancing header from close range from Brunt’s corner. The goal was his second league goal since joining the Midlands club in the summer.

The win left West Brom three points above the drop zone, while Burnley are 17 in the table with 21 points from 24 matches.

Striker Saido Berahino was demoted to the substitute bench after he hinted a leaving the club in a recent television interview and former Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher was handed the captain armband on his debut.

West Brom struggled in the first half, largely dominated by Sean Dyche’s team, but regained confidence in the second.

Barnes headed home from six yards to open scoring before Ings doubled the hosts’ advantage with his fourth goal in six games- a powerful header from George Boyd’s right wing cross.

Joleon Lescott cleared Burnley’s Jason Shackell’s header off the line and Berahino, who came on for the injured Victor Anichebe in the first half, was denied by the combination of Tom Heaton and Ben Mee, who made a goal-line clearance of his close-range shot.